Good News Community Church

Sermon 5/9/2021

FEAR NOT #168 Proverbs 29:25 - Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe. Solomon has previously taught us that the f...ear of the Lord is the foundation and the beginning point of knowledge. Wisdom starts when God’s opinions, precepts, laws, judgments, and purposes influence us more than anything else. When the opinions, judgments, mandates, and threats of man become the most powerful influences, Solomon says that will prove to be a snare. What does a snare do? It captures and places in bondage. A snare will grab hold and the captive cannot break that hold in his own strength and ability. This is what bullies, tyrants, and autocrats count on for controlling their subjects. Those who trust in the Lord are a problem to them, because those people have come to fear God more than man. Our nation and its leaders could use more of Solomon’s wisdom. Let me give you a feel for this chapter: When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan. By justice a king gives a country stability, but those who are greedy for bribes tear it down. The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern. Mockers stir up a city, but the wise turn away anger. The bloodthirsty hate a person of integrity and seek to kill the upright. Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end. If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials become wicked. If a king judges the poor with fairness, his throne will be established forever. Our homes, our parents and youngsters could also use more of Solomon’s wisdom. A rod and a reprimand impart wisdom, but a child left undisciplined disgraces its mother. It’s Mother’s Day today DON’T DISGRACE HER, HONOR HER! Discipline your children, and they will give you peace; they will bring you the delights you desire. So, discipline your children, you’ll be glad you did they’ll turn out to be delightful to live with. Wise discipline imparts wisdom; spoiled adolescents embarrass their parents. Solomon tells us that there is a day coming when life will tumble in and it will be too late to help those who only get more stubborn when they are disciplined learn to accept correction now. He says other things like, If you love wisdom, you’ll delight your parents, but you’ll destroy their trust if you run with prostitutes. There’s wisdom in sexual morality and purity. Our businesses, bosses, leaders, and workers could use more of Solomon’s wisdom too. He says, A leader of good judgment gives stability; an exploiting leader leaves a trail of waste. And, When a leader listens to malicious gossip, all the workers get infected with evil. He tells leaders, if they want to gain authority and respect, they need to see to it that the voiceless poor are treated fairly. He also says that it takes more than talk to keep workers in line and productive, because mere words go in one ear and out the other. And don’t let people treat you like a doormat, but don’t be proud, be humble. His grand theme, however, is that the LORD is the one to look to for wisdom and safety. God cannot stand the sight of evil, and He is the ultimate source of justice. Don’t fear man, it will only prove to be a snare. Trust in the Lord. FEAR NOT! AND HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL YOU DEAR MOMS WHO TUNE IN TODAY!

FEAR NOT #167 Proverbs 24:19 - Do not fret because of evildoers or be envious of the wicked Have you ever noticed how there are evildoers who always seem to... succeed while decent people may be run over in life? Doesn’t it bother you immensely? It does me! Sometimes I get downright angry. And then I get wise counsel from the word of God that tells me not to fret because of evildoers. It’s pretty easy for me to spend too much time and energy expressing my disdain and frustration over such people. It can become a distraction from using all that energy and breath toward what God has designed for me to do and be. I’m thankful for God’s Word that will bring me back into focus so that I may not waste all that time and energy fretting about people and things that are out of my control. The wise teacher gave a second point in our verse of the day when he said, do not be envious of the wicked. It is a repetition of the very first verse in this chapter which begins with, Do not envy the wicked, do not desire their company; for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about making trouble. When we see the ways the wicked may have advanced in life, in position, wealth, power, esteem, and possessions, it could begin to look attractive to us. We just may begin to desire what they have attained and be tempted to go about obtaining it the same way they did. Solomon says, Nope, don’t go there! Don’t envy the wicked. Don’t even desire their company. These are not trustworthy people. They will use you like they use everyone else to advance their own cause. And that could easily make you twice the son of hell that they are. Throughout the chapter, Solomon compares the ways of the wicked with the wise. He contrasts the integrity that wisdom uses in building its house against that of the wicked. He reminds us that there is One who guards our life and judges each one according to what he has done. The evildoer has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out. The wise prevail through great power. That power lies in the company they keep in the counsel of the Lord and many wise godly advisers. I hope that you have learned to acquire this kind of power. I want to leave you with one more saying from this chapter. It’s entitled Saying 25 and it calls us to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might in times of trouble. This is a higher call than fretting over evildoers and success of the wicked. From verses 10-12 If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength! Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say, ‘But we knew nothing about this,’ does not He who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not He who guards your life know it? Will He not repay everyone according to what they have done? Bottom line is, there are souls to rescue, there are souls to save so, send the light! Don’t fret! Rescue the perishing, care for the dying, snatch them in pity from death and destruction! So, don’t spend your time fretting, spread the Good News Jesus Saves! He still does! Throw out that lifeline to everyone who will receive it. This is no time to shrink back in helplessness. We have work to do! FRET NOT, FEAR NOT! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BROTHER DAN GEORGE!

04/11/2021 Sermon

FEAR NOT #139 Psalm 121:7,8 The LORD will keep you from all harmhe will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and ...forevermore. Whether or not you are frightened to venture forth to do anything these days, this Psalm encourages us to rest our confidence in God, and by faith, put ourselves under His protective care. All day long we are exposed to more danger than we are aware of. Living is full of risks no matter your choices. You may heed the counsel of experts concerning your health and safety, and then discover that you are the one in a thousand adversely affected. There are physical, mental, spiritual, emotional, relational, psychological dangers and consequences with every decision. There are risks in everything - including deciding not to venture anything, including relying on others to make your decisions for you. I’ll let your own imagination run wild on (or google it) all the dangerous possibilities present 24/7. David began this Psalm examining the source of his courage - where does my help come from? He looked up at the mountains, which just may provide some source of help if the waters are rising, or if you need to retreat mentally or physically and find refuge from some adversity. But David says, My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He wasn’t going to look to the mountains for his help, he was looking to the Maker of the mountains! Why would you want to rely upon what has been created when you can have the help of the Creator? David didn’t think twice about his options. He looked to the Lord for his help. He wrote this piece, not only for his own worship, but for the inspiration of people like me and you (who tend to look no higher than the mountains). He declares things like, He will not let YOUR foot slip He who watches over YOU will not slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over YOU the LORD is YOUR shade at YOUR right hand; the sun will not harm YOU by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep YOU from all harm He will watch over YOUR life; the LORD will watch over YOUR coming and going both now and forevermore. David wants YOU and ME to believe these things. He knows that all of us need lots of help in this life as we deal with dangers and threats, fears and phobias, trials and tribulations. Where does YOUR help come from? Are you relying on a mountain something created, or are you looking to the Creator? Don’t just trust the experts. David wants everyone to know the incredible personal love and care God has for EACH ONE OF US, PERSONALLY, INDIVIDUALLY! We can believe that or not. I choose to believe it. Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me and you too! You are of much more value than many sparrows. You are more important to God than the flowers of the field. If He watches over them, you’ve got to know that His eye is on you! Let me conclude by saying (with the Psalmist) that God’s loving watch-care is both now and evermore! He will watch over your life FOREVER! He is not going to fall asleep on the job. His love endures for all ETERNITY! That’ll work! Take on the day! Because you believe in God, dare to live! FEAR NOT!

FEAR NOT #166 - Proverbs 3:25,26 Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked for the LORD will be at your side and will keep you...r foot from being snared. Even though God causes the rain to fall and the sun to shine on both the just and the unjust, there are some perks to living out of the wise principles Solomon gave us yesterday. When you trust in the Lord with all your heart, submit to Him in everything, shun evil, honor the Lord with your wealth, and accept His discipline and training, you will surely avoid the pitfalls and snares that await those who have not developed the discretion, understanding, and sound judgment that these principles naturally establish in a person’s life. The unwise and faithless are subject to deception in all kinds of scams, schemes, and wiles of the wicked. They are prone to play the fool, for the fool says in his heart that there is no God, therefore he does not trust in the Lord nor submit to Him. It is the fool and his money that are soon parted. It is the fool who invites disaster and ruin by his rejection of God and the wisdom of faith. Ignorance of God’s precepts and ordinances limits the development of understanding, discretion, and sound judgment. Not knowing the counsel of God leaves people blind and deaf to any broader understanding than the worldview they’ve adopted. Naturally, they will not question things that conflict with God’s Word because they are ignorant of God’s Word. If they are not ignorant, they have rejected His authority, so, they act with indiscretion, ignorance, and in poor judgment, which sets them up for disaster. But the wise need not fear that. Because you have trusted in the Lord with all your heart, sought His counsel, and submitted to His instruction, you may have confidence that the Lord will be at your side. Intimate acquaintance with the Lord and His Word will provide you with discretion and understanding that will keep you from becoming trapped by false truth claims and worldviews. You will know the truth and the truth will keep you free from getting sucked into the scams and lies of the wicked and believe me, those lies are numerous! Solomon closed out this chapter with more wisdom to add to the understanding and discretion of those who trust in the Lord with all their heart. These could be listed as his thou shalt not principles. I like the way The Message translates it: Never walk away from someone who deserves help; your hand is God’s hand for that person. Don’t tell your neighbor Maybe some other time or Try me tomorrow when the money’s right there in your pocket. Don’t figure ways of taking advantage of your neighbor when he’s sitting there trusting and unsuspecting. Don’t walk around with a chip on your shoulder, always spoiling for a fight. Don’t try to be like those who shoulder their way through life. Why be a bully? Why not? you say. Because GOD can’t stand twisted souls. It’s the straightforward who get his respect. GOD’s curse blights the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous. He gives proud skeptics a cold shoulder, but if you’re down on your luck, he’s right there to help. Wise living gets rewarded with honor; stupid living gets the booby prize. SO, ADD THESE PRINCIPLES TO YOUR CONDUCT AND HAVE NO FEAR OF SUDDEN DISASTER OR RUINATION.

Prayer Meeting 5-6-21

FEAR NOT #138 Psalm 120:1,2 - I call on the LORD in my distress, and he answers me. Save me, LORD, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues. There are f...ew things more distressing than being lied about, misrepresented, and lied to. When people create a narrative about you that is intentionally deceptive and slanderous, it can be a very painful thing to deal with. It can also become quite impossible to defend yourself with the truth. Gaslighting is a popular term these days that describes promoting a false narrative often enough, in as many different ways possible, so as to make it believed. Even though the message doesn’t align with your sensibilities (what you know, see, hear, feel, smell, taste), if people of influence keep repeating it often enough, then others will be convinced to believe the lie. If you are observant, you will see it played out quite regularly in our world. Propaganda is another term that means much the same thing. We don’t often get too concerned until we are the victim of the propaganda or the gaslighting. When it directly impacts our safety, security, well-being, reputation then it becomes very distressing. The Psalmist was victimized by this wickedness. His life experience taught him that this slanderous behavior can become more contagious than a virus, and it can become even more impossible to cure. When emotions get amplified against you, there is no amount of reasonable explanation or truth that people are willing to listen to. Try as hard as you might, you just cannot undo the false narrative that has been spread by deceitful tongues and lying lips. Innocent people are often drawn into the narrative and they help perpetuate the slander and lies, largely because of the fine sounding argument presented to them, and because of what has become popular opinion. How did our Psalmist deal with it? He called on the Lord, the One who is Truth, the One who establishes and upholds the truth. He didn’t call his government representative, his senator, or his attorney. He called on the Lord and the Lord answered him. I mean, with a PERSONAL answer. God doesn’t have an answering machine, or a receptionist to screen His calls, He doesn’t send out impersonal form letters, He answers His calls personally. He is the God who answers. Not only is He the God who answers, He is the God who is able to accomplish what human effort cannot. The Psalmist’s cry of distress was that the Lord would save him from the lying lips and deceitful tongues. Notice that the petition is for his own salvation from the wickedness perpetrated against him. Father in heaven, deliver us from evil. Ephesians 6 tells us of the shield of faith that God gives to save his people from the fiery darts of the wicked. All of those lies launched against us may be quenched by faith, and we are able to stand in the strength of the Lord. Not only does God hear and answer, He is just. Slander and lying deceitful tongues will have their day in His court. The Psalmist says that God will punish them with a warrior’s sharp arrows, with burning coals Their lying deceptive fiery darts will be quenched by the shield of faith, but the liars will be unable to defend themselves against the sharp arrows of TRUTH and the burning coals of God’s JUDGMENT. The bottom line here is, when you are distressed by gaslighting propaganda, call on the Lord. He will answer you and save you. God will validate the truth - FEAR NOT!

FEAR NOT #165 - Proverbs 3:24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. This FEAR NOT just happens to be coming... out on the National Day of Prayer. Chapter 3 in Proverbs has numerous gems that offer great wisdom and advice for those who desire to be free of anxieties, worries, and distresses that only serve to rob us of peace and rest and shorten our meaningful lives. I’m pretty certain we can apply these principles to the nation as well as the individual. As we said in yesterday’s proverb, the secret is listening to and applying that wisdom. Wouldn’t you love to see our national fears, anxieties, and worries dissipate and the country be at rest? It could happen with a revival of these principles and precepts. We are blessed to have had founding fathers who prayed, read their Bibles, and sought wisdom from God in creating the documents that declared Independence from Great Britain and drafted our Constitution. I’m persuaded that those wise and God-fearing documents are unmatched in any other nation, and that they afford the best foundation for peace and prosperity that can be found in any land, until Jesus comes in the glory of His kingdom. Sadly, these amazing works have been ignored, forgotten, misrepresented, and undermined in our current culture. That leads me to Solomon’s words in chapter 3:1,2 My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life for many years and bring you peace and prosperity. Can’t you hear our founding fathers exhorting the generations that would follow them? A Republic if you can keep it! Listen to Solomon’s principles. Let love and faithfulness never leave you. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops Do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent His rebuke. Do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, preserve sound judgment and discretion He presents all this wisdom to people (nations) who aspire to be free from worry, anxiety, and fear. He declares that those who apply this instruction will not be afraid when they lie down, and their sleep will be sweet. Can you understand why this sweet peace may be the result of putting these principles into practice? It all begins with not forgetting our fathers’ instruction, paying attention, and making the applications. This upcoming Sunday also happens to be Mother’s Day. If you’ve had a God-fearing Mom (or grandmother, or some dear substitute Mom) who modeled Solomon’s wise principles, the best way you can honor her is to remember what she taught you and apply it in your own life. She has passed on to you a legacy of peace and prosperity if you can keep it! None of us have had parents who were perfect. None of us parents are perfect either, but we can take the precious faith principles that we inherited and put them into practice. Our children will rise up and bless us. They will be equipped to do a better job of parenting and promoting those faith principles than we have. So, don’t forget those instructions, pay attention, and make the right applications. You are investing in faith, family, and nation, and you’ll sleep well at night - WITHOUT FEAR!

Bible Study 4-6-21

FEAR NOT #72 2 Chronicles 20:9 - ‘If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this t...emple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.’ Jehoshaphat’s prayer recounts God’s providence and the faith of their ancestors. The Temple stood as a monument of remembrance to the God who rescued, led, protected, provided for, and saved them from all kinds of calamities and distress. It was from that temple that bears God’s Name, that their faith was inspired to cry out to God for salvation from their dire circumstances whether it was war, plague, or famine. God had always proven merciful and powerful to save, that’s why Jehoshaphat went to church and followed the example set by his ancestors. There are still many of us left in America who have studied and read our history, that are convinced our nation was founded on Judeo-Christian faith principles, morality, and God’s providence. Our ancestors left a legacy written in stone the tombstones of those who gave the supreme sacrifice; the monuments around the country and the memorials that fill our nation’s capitol. These all declare the Scriptures and virtues that birthed our nation under General George Washington and preserved/established it under Abraham Lincoln (as the life blood of 700,000 validated the belief that ALL men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights). It has been penned in the words of our patriotic songs, stamped on our currency, and written into our pledge of allegiance. It has been proclaimed from our steepled houses of worship for two and a half centuries. Do we live in calamitous times? Our union and national identity is under attack. Is there a Jehoshaphat among us, who values the faith of our fathers, that will step up, trust God, and lead in prayer? We live in times when the suggestion is scoffed that God had anything to do with the establishment of our nation, or that He would shed His grace uniquely on us. But there are still those who share Ben Franklin’s opinion. When the Constitutional Convention of 1787 bogged down over the issue of representation in the new Congress, Franklin called a halt to the rancor and implored everyone to turn their faces to God for aid. Heed the eloquent truth of Franklin’s words: I have lived, sir, a long time; and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth, that God governs in the affairs of men! And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, sir, in the sacred writings that, ‘except the Lord build the house they labor in vain that build it.’ I firmly believe this; and I also believe, that without his concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel: We shall be divided by our little partial local interests, our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall be become a reproach and a by-word down to future ages Do we live in calamitous times? Can such a nation, so conceived and so dedicated long endure? Can we keep this republic as one nation united under God? Be a Jehoshaphat go to church, pray, and believe! FEAR NOT! More to come.

FEAR NOT #71 2 Chronicles 20:3 - Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the LORD, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. One of the benefits of being a... child with godly parents is that, when we are alarmed, frightened, and don’t know what to do or how to deal with our circumstances, we get to cast those cares on our parents. One of the responsibilities of a parent is to model where to go to find grace and help in times of trouble and need. Jehoshaphat modeled both being the child and being that parent. He went to the throne of God and led his people there. When a vast army suddenly comes against you, it just might be cause for alarm. That was the situation for King Jehoshaphat. The report came to him that other nations (Moab & Ammon) had combined forces and were coming to wage war against him. (These were nations that Israel was not allowed to invade on their way to the Promised Land). By the time the news reached him, the enemy was already dangerously close. Although alarmed, Jehoshaphat’s first resolve was to inquire of the Lord, and he immediately proclaimed a fast for all of Judah. It brought the people of Judah together from every town to seek help and counsel from the Lord. People came from all over Judah and assembled at the Temple courtyard where Jehoshaphat led them in prayer. When you’re the king, and the enemy presses hard against you and you weren’t really prepared for that kind of conflict, what do you do? You pray and you lead your people in prayer. You beseech the Lord God of heaven - the One who rules over all kingdoms. You lead in looking to the One who holds all power and might in His hand, the Almighty who is able and mighty to save. That’s exactly what Jehoshaphat did. He led his people in a prayer that acknowledged the power and providence of God Almighty. It was God who led them to this land, who drove out the inhabitants before them, and gave it to these descendants of Abraham. Jehoshaphat honored God and modeled effective prayer before the people. I want to spend the next 2 or 3 days on his prayer, but today let’s focus on the object of his prayer Almighty God. Jesus taught His disciples to pray, Our Father, which art in heaven, holy is your name Our heavenly Father is the only wise God, the Creator and sustainer of the universe. He changes times and seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. (Daniel 2:21). An important part of wisdom, understanding and power in prayer, is awareness of the nature and attributes of God. When we know His personhood, we won’t approach His throne irreverently or blasphemously. We will give the honor and glory due His name, and we will revere His almighty power. More to come - FEAR NOT

Prayer meeting- 1-21-2021

#12 The Eternal Word of God! - From my weekly Prayer Guide series in Psalm 119: Psalm 119:89-95 - Your word, O LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.... Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures. Your laws endure to this day, for all things serve you. If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life. Save me, for I am yours; I have sought out your precepts. The wicked are waiting to destroy me, but I will ponder your statutes. Have you ever pondered and considered that the heavens declare the glory of God? Why do the sun, moon and stars stay in their places and provide light to the earth both day and night? Because God told them to! Have you ever pondered and considered that this globe we live on also declares the glory of God? Why do seedtime and harvest, summer and winter, cold and heat, night and day never cease? Because that’s God’s word! Why can we be assured that the earth will never face another worldwide flood? Because that’s God’s Word! This marks the halfway point in the Psalm, and the writer’s theme hasn’t changed. He’s still absolutely enthralled with the Word of God. In the beginning, God spoke the word and all things were created. By the laws of His nature (from which He spoke all things into being) all things are held together and continue to exist. God’s sovereign word governs and maintains all creation. His word is eternal, it stands firm in the heavens, and it doesn’t change from generation to generation. This old world was established by His word and it still endures as an example of His eternal Word. God’s laws have remained the same to this day and the entire universe is subjected to those laws; the sun, moon and stars and all the planets continue in their orbits and places just as God’s word instructed them. They exist to serve God’s will and His word that spoke them into being. They do not rebel against that word. The Psalmist has pondered these things and concluded that God’s laws preserve life and order. Having marveled at that reality, he has come to delight himself in the nature of God. Everywhere he looks he sees God’s word validated. There is no other law so holy and awesome, no other word so perfect and true. He realizes that he would have perished had it not been for God’s laws and precepts. The humble and repentant sinner can find salvation in God’s Word and the saint can find inspiration to live by His promises. Even though there are mockers, scoffers, unbelievers, doubters and evildoers who lie in wait to destroy faith in God, His statutes will endure. And so, our writer will continue to ponder them. How about you? Thank God for the eternal nature of His Word. Praise Him for His faithfulness through all generations. Pray for God’s kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Ask God to help you recognize His laws at work in the heavens and on the earth. Pray for a heart that delights in God’s nature and His laws. Give thanks that God’s laws, precepts, statutes and promises are unchanging and trustworthy for all eternity. Pray that God will give you such a love for His Word that it will become contagious. Prayer Challenge: Pray that God will grant every believer: a passionate devotion to His Word, a humble recognition that we have much room for growth and improvement, His corrective discipline (that may be painful but produces good fruit), and a steadfast courage with strength to endure the arrogance, hostility, ridicule and slander of those who disregard the beauty and authority of God’s Word.

FEAR NOT #70 2 Chronicles 15:4 - But in their distress they turned to the LORD, the God of Israel, and sought Him, and He was found by them. Blessed is the n...ation whose God is the Lord. Distressed is the nation that forsakes God! All kinds of fears and strife are kindled when people are ignorant of God’s laws and precepts when the laws of nature and nature’s God are forsaken. That nation will be God-forsaken! But, if in their distress they will turn to the Lord, and seek Him, He will be found by them! The Spirit of God came upon Azariah and he went to meet King Asa. Asa was king of Israel three kings after Solomon. Azariah’s message was for all of Judah and Benjamin and it’s quite identical to the one David gave to Solomon before he took the throne. It’s a relevant message for our nation today. The Lord is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you. Azariah described conditions that may sound familiar. Israel had been without the true God for a long time. They were without the benefit of a teaching priest no one to instruct them in the Word of the Lord and His law. And in those times, there was no peace, it was not safe to travel about, because everyone was in great turmoil and distress. Nations and cities crushed each other. But somehow, a revival started, because in their distress, they turned to the Lord, the God of Israel, and sought Him, and He was found by them. Azariah told King Asa that this was a critical time for strong leadership. It was important for him to put his man pants on and be the leader in this revival. Asa was inspired by the prophet’s message. He took courage and removed all the detestable idols from the land of Judah and Benjamin, and from all the cities he oversaw. And, he didn’t just tear things down, he also rebuilt and restored the altar of the Lord. His leadership inspired people from all over to unite with him because they saw that the Lord was with him. Asa led the nation in a revival that moved the people to make a covenant to seek the Lord God with all their heart and soul. In fact, this covenant was so important, and they took it so seriously, that they decreed that anyone who would not seek the Lord was to be put to death. They sought God with all their heart and soul, and He was found by them. And the Lord gave them peace and rest throughout the land. Wouldn’t you like to see such a revival? Oh, that all nations might benefit from this example and, in their distress, make it the priority to turn to God and seek Him with all their heart and soul. He is eager to give us peace and rest. Seek God and FEAR NOT!